Christmas in the Philippines is a lot more unique than any other Christmas celebrations celebrated in different countries or states. The Filipino tradition invites us once again for the coming of the Savior every year. We Filipinos like to think and make Christmas more whiter than ever before. As usual, if you have guests coming over, you’ll have to prepare everything and make it perfect, but our guest is more precious and he is Jesus, that’s why we prepare alluring designs inside and outside of our place. Aside from decorating our homes, we also prepare different varieties of food even if we don’t have enough budget. Our celebrations are massive and grand. We invite more and more people everyday to come to our house and have a dinner, yet if you compare the dinner held in our house and your dinner if you are living outside the Philippines, you can tell that our dinner is pretty much different than yours, why? Because our dinner isn’t just ordinary, our dinner is like a feast. It’s not the food that unites us, but it is the presence of everyone that makes us more united.

In order for you to stay awake, read this blog while listening to this…
What makes us more different? Our children start their carols as early as possible like in September or October. Our formal Christmas celebrations start on 16th of December when many people go to the Church and celebrate the early morning masses or Misa de Gallo. The Church provides different artistic designs showing that they are celebrating with the people of God and they don’t just do nothing. The churches build small house structures with the following saints displayed inside that recaptures the real way of how was Christ born in the house of Bethlehem. Most Filipinos are Christians and about 80% of them are Catholics, the only Asian-Christian country, that’s why Christmas is the most important holiday in the Philippines.

If you are wondering why Filipinos await the Christmas day and staying late, fully wide and awake during Christmas eve is that, we believe that we are welcoming Jesus in our home and to receive lots and lots of blessings. Most Christians go to church to hear the last Misa de Gallo during Christmas eve and being followed by a feast, a midnight feast called “Noche Buena.” A big celebration together with the family, friends, relatives and neighbors and wishing everyone a Merry Merry Christmas!

When it comes to dishes, Filipinos are extraordinary. We include in our dish: lechon baboy (roasted pig), lechon manok (roasted chicken), ham, fruit salad, sweets, and drinks with different varieties. We also prepare the 12 fruits, a basket full of 12 different kinds of foods believing that it will bring good luck for the upcoming new year.

Because Philippines is an Archepelago and we are devided by large bodies of water, we were made to speak in our own vernacular that’s why we can speak Merry Christmas in different forms. I am an Ilonggo and we say it like ‘Malipayon nga Pascua,’ in Cebuano ‘Maayong Pasko,’ in Tagalog ‘Maligayang Pasko,’ in Bicolano ‘Maugmang Pasko,’ in Pangasinense ‘Maabig ya pasko’ or ‘Magayagan inkianac.’ Some of the Filipinos have their own katutubong dialekto or “Tradition Dialect” and they can also say Merry Christmas in their own way.

In 15 days we will be celebrating Christmas. Today I’ll give you some tips on how you will impress your friends and your loved ones with these Amazing Christmas Ideas.

Christmas greetings or cards will work.
Giving a Christmas letter to a friend would be one of the best ideas you could ever have. It will make your friend happy and comfortable, believing that you haven’t forget him/her and that, you are still with your friend ’til the end. What are you waiting for? Get an ordinary card, start designing and fill the content with your loveable words.

Christmas presents.
Here in the Philippines, exchanging of Christmas presents is common and the best way to celebrate Christmas. Sometimes, exchanging of presents is done in the public and others do it in their classrooms or their places. This activity is a bit fun and if you are interested, how about organize a party that will lure your friends and your relatives to join this brilliant party you have in mind. You can also give a Christmas present to someone directly if you wish. If you don’t have money in the pocket, you can wrap an old material that is very meaningful to you and just believe that your friend will like it.

Give to the poor.
Another way of spending Christmas is by giving to the poor. It will lift your inner spirituality up and it will make you feel ease on the inside. Giving to the poor isn’t really that hard. Just give a penny and smile. If you received a thank you, it’s simple yet meaningful. Christmas is all about giving and sharing, not taking and receiving. Although it seems unfair that you only give and give but think on the bright side, you are helping a person and making him feel that the essence of Christmas is not only for those people who have money, but also for the homeless.

Spend Christmas with your family.
This is but the best idea of spending your Christmas. If you feel like you don’t like your family much on the past few months, you can think of reconciling. Your presence means a lot to your family, trust me. Here in the Philippines, family is priority. We live at the same house, we share the same problem, and we work as a team. Give your family time to enjoy together with you. Make them laugh, prepare some food, and give chocolates or pennies to the kids living in your house. If you are planning to spend your time with your family, just make the most of it.

Tell your friend about your previous experience.
Telling a friend about what you did last Christmas is a bit fun. Tell your friend the first time you celebrated Christmas together, how you played in snow, the way you design your Christmas tree, what your friend looks like when he dances and celebrates, everything. Tell jokes about your memories together and tell him/her that you still care and you still want to spend Christmas with him/her. That would be a great idea.

Dress as a snowman or Santa Clause and make everyone laugh.
Of course telling a joke is fun. How about relating your joke to Christmas? There are lots of jokes you can find in the internet about Christmas, try it! It would be a great idea to come out with. Be the center of attraction and impress everyone just like what Olaf did in the movie and he made every kid love him.

Now what you are waiting for? Bring this ideas to your life and celebrate Christmas in many ways excitingly. Get up and do what you have to.

Christmas is fast approaching and on this Christmas we have to prepare our carols to fill the night with the blessings coming from above. Below are the Five Christmas Carols that are compiled with the following authors, composers and the date it was written.

Ave Maria! stainless styled!
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden’s prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!

Carol of the Bells
Composer: Mykola Leontovych
Written: 1904

Hark how the bells,
sweet silver bells,
all seem to say,
throw cares away
Christmas is here,
bringing good cheer,
to young and old,
meek and the bold.
Ding dong ding dong
that is their song
with joyful ring
all caroling.
One seems to hear
words of good cheer
from everywhere
filling the air.
Oh how they pound,
raising the sound,
o’er hill and dale,
telling their tale.
Gaily they ring
while people sing
songs of good cheer,
Christmas is here.
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas,
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas.
On on they send,
on without end,
their joyful tone
to every home.
Ding dong ding… dong!

Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hope you enjoyed singing with us a be blessed with the abundant light and love of Christ.

Here are the top 5 songs of 2015 with their achievements in the music industry.

Top 1

Hello by Adele

“Hello” is a piano ballad with soul influences, and lyrics that discuss themes of nostalgia and regret. “Hello” attained international commercial success reaching number one in 28 countries including the United Kingdom, where it became her second UK number-one single, following “Someone like You”, and has the largest opening week sales in three years. The accompanying music video was directed by Xavier Dolan and co-stars Adele and Tristan Wilds. The music video for the song broke the Vevo Record by achieving over 27.7 million views within a 24-hour span, held previously by Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” which accumulated 20.1 million views in that timeframe. Adele promoted the song with a live performance on a BBC one-hour special, entitled Adele at the BBC.

Top 2

Sorry by Justin Bieber

“Sorry” peaked at number two on the Canadian Hot 100. Outside Canada, the song topped the charts in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom and peaked within the top ten of the charts in nineteen countries, including Australia, Germany and the United States.

Top 3

Hotline Bling by Drake

“Hotline Bling” has reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake’s first top-10 single in two years, as well becoming his highest-charting single as a lead artist (tied with “Best I Ever Had”).

Top 4

The Hills by the Weeknd

“The Hills” was a critical and commercial success. In the singer’s native Canada, the song peaked at number 1. In the United States, where it was a sleeper hit, it also reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, replacing his own “Can’t Feel My Face”. The song also made the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It reached the top 20 in Denmark and Sweden while reaching the top 40 in the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. At the height of the song’s popularity, three remixes featuring rappers Eminem, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne were released.

Top 5

Stitches by Shawn Mendes

“Stitches” is the first song by Mendes to appear on a Billboard airplay chart, debuting at number 36 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart in June 2015, and eventually reaching number one. It became his first top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100, charting at number four. “Stitches” also reached the top 10 on the Canadian Hot 100. It is sung in Bb minor with a tempo of 150 and a time signature of 4/4. It was nominated for Choice Music Single: Male Artist at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards.

Hope you liked the songs listed above as the top 5 2015 best songs. Stay tuned for more blogs. Feel free to write you opinion in the opinion page or simply leave a comment below.

We have been celebrating Christmas for years but some of us doesn’t even know what really Christmas is and why we are celebrating it.

What is Christmas?

Christmas is a season of thanksgiving and reconciliation with our loved ones, the season for turning all mourning into joy. Some people finds it as the best month ever. Christmas in our hearts must be celebrated.

There are many ways to celebrate Christmas.

You can have party in your house with your friends and prepare different varieties of foods, have a chocolate fountain, go to church and attend the Misa de Gallo, snowboarding, going outdoors and have fun and there are a lot more you haven’t known yet.

Here is an advice.

If you have problems in life and you’re feeling down like you can’t stand on your own, I say get up! Do whatever you want to do. It’s Christmas, you have to be true to yourself and thank God.